Santa Cruz County is requiring masks inside skilled nursing facilities and infusion centers during the upcoming respiratory virus season, with the rule taking effect Nov. 1.
The public health order also applies to dialysis and chemotherapy centers. It will remain in effect through March 31, 2027, county officials said.
Everyone who is not a patient — including health care workers and visitors — must wear a face mask indoors while working, providing direct patient care or visiting patient-facing areas. The requirement applies regardless of vaccination status.
The order is aimed at protecting people at higher risk of serious illness from respiratory viruses, including hospitalization and death.
“We are already seeing an increase in respiratory viruses in our community as reflected in wastewater data,” Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez said in a statement released Thursday. “This order is intended to protect people who are most vulnerable to serious illness, including hospitalization and death.”
Respiratory viruses typically rise between fall and spring and that seasonal pattern is expected to return each year, county health officials said.
Eligible residents are encouraged to stay up to date on recommended COVID-19, influenza and RSV vaccinations, with health experts saying vaccination is the most effective way to protect against infection, hospitalization and death while also helping reduce the spread of illness.